Little red cars

January 23, 2014

To get to the more remote areas of Shetland, we decided to rent a car. Together with this little red chap we drove to Eshaness (see here and here) and explored some of the places we wanted to see but couldn't reach by bus. The advantage is of course that you can go where you like when you like and can stop and go as you want e.g. stopping every 100 meters for a picture.

We wondered a bit that the only red cars we saw were hired cars, so we developed the theory that they rent only red cars to tourist (and don't drive them themselves) so that the cars can be alrdy seen already from afar ... you know, left-hand traffic, excited tourists with cameras, and all that ;)

It is beautiful to drive through Shetland, there's not much traffic and when you drive along this amazing coastlines it can easily give you goosebumps.

Mavis Grind is where the Mainland Island is connected to the Northmavine Island. It is not much wider than the road. What is fascinating about this place is that on the one side of the street is the North Sea and on the other side the Atlantic Ocean. I read that in earlier times they carried their ships across this place to get from one Sea to another so that they didn't need to sail around the whole island.

It's a curious feeling to stand on this narrow neck between those two seas.

Oh, and if you ever happen to be in Shetland and you like fish and chips - don't miss Frankie's! I very much lived on fish and chips all weeks we were in the UK and these were one of the best I ever had!

And these fellows greet you everywhere. Sometimes they also sit on the road. Or decide to sit down there when they see your car ... maybe they also know the red ones come with tourists...

My first time in Donegal a sheep jumped in front on my car completely out of the blue. I still don't know how I managed to avoid her! I can laugh now, but at the time I thought I was going to have a heart attack!Dramatic jaw dropping views, again!

Amazing landscapes! I just told me better half yesterday that I'd love to drive around in UK some day with my camera. Maybe the red car theory is correct. In Amsterdam the bicycles they rent to us tourists are red (and yellow I think), with big signs also, so everyone can beware and throw themselves out of the way if needed!